A comprehensive multi- agency model for supporting children, adolescents and their caregivers in care facilities in understanding different types of violence and pathways for disclosure.
Context
Violence is a widespread phenomenon impacting children all around the world. Reports indicate that 1 out of 2 children experience some form of violence each year (End Violence Against Children, 2022). Children and adolescents in settings of assisted living, many of whom often live in situations of multiple intersectional vulnerabilities, have a significantly higher risk than other children of being (or having been) exposed to violence in their family of origin and/or foster family and the surrounding social environment, while having a lack of resources available for them to report on the perpetrator. While the EU has consistently taken steps to improve child protection systems in its Member States, it is also recognized that most policies and legislation related to children’s rights fall under national competence, and there is growing awareness of the need for integrated visions for child protection systems across the MSs (FRA, 2023). With this in mind, the SHIELD project aims to improve child protection systems in assisted living/residential care facilities through the development of a comprehensive multi-agency model for child protection across Cyrpus, Austria, Greece, Italy, Lithuania and Spain.
Objectives
- Identify and document the conditions enabling and hindering the disclosure of violence in care facility settings, as well as the needs of children and frontline professionals;
- Build the capacity of frontline professionals working with children in care facilities to identify violence and support the act of disclosure in their national context;
- Increase the understanding of children aged 12-18 in care facilities of different types of violence and build their capacity to disclose acts of violence experienced;
- Raise awareness of best practices in child protection in care facilities and pathways for disclosure of violence among child protection professionals and the public;
- Develop, implement and engage individuals/networks in advocacy actions.
Activities
- Set up of a transnational Youth Advisory Board to increase meaningful participation of young people familiar with the experiences of children in care facilities ;
- Mixed-method research on the national regulatory context, obstacles on the disclosure of violence and analysis of the gaps of child protection systems in care facilities;
- Roundtables with multiagency stakeholders involved in child protection in care facilities
- Development of a comprehensive model for child protection in care facilities;
- Transnational mutual learning sessions to exchange knowledge and best practices;
- Development of a national curricula to expand the comprehensive model and adapt sound pedagogical practices relevant to each local context for preventing violence in care facilities;
- Capacity-building for professionals & other stakeholders on identification and protection of child victims of violence and facilitation of disclosure of violence and intervention processes.
- Capacity-building to empower children living in care facilities with knowledge about different types of violence, their rights, and pathways for disclosure;
- Awareness-raising events;
- Final conference in Palermo, Italy.
Resources
- Report on status quo of child protection in care facilities
- Comprehensive model for child protection in care facilities
- National curricula
Impact
- Strengthened child protection systems in action in the care facilities of partner countries.
- Enhanced capacity of at least 40 frontline professionals per country to identify violence against children, facilitate disclosure and support child victims/survivors of violence.
- Improved understanding of different types of violence and disclosure pathways of at least 25 children in care facilities per country.
- Raised awareness among the general public of the disclosure of violence nationally and internationally
Partners
- HFC – Hope For Children (Cyprus) coordinator;
- VMG – Verein für Männer und Geschlechterthemen Steiermark (Austria);
- TSoC – The Smile of the Child (Greece);
- CESIE ETS (Italy);
- CEA – Centre for Equality Advancement (Lithuania);
- FDIP – Fundacion Diagrama Intervencion Psicosocial (Spain).
